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Subject:

N. Arundel: 4/16/09: Virginia Rail in hand, BWTE, Marsh Wren, etc.

From:

Matthew Grey

Reply-To:

Matthew Grey

Date:

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:03:38 -0400

Hello all.

Today went from 'good' to 'epic' when I found 2 VIRGINIA RAILs at Swan Creek in the wetland area.  Even better than simply hearing them call and seeing them was freeing one that was caught in plastic fence netting. The bird that was caught was vocalizing and I followed the sound until I found the bird. The second bird flushed from the cat tails as I got close enough to start getting the first one free. As shy as rails usually are, it was quite stressful on the bird, so I acted as fast as I could to get him out of there.  All ended well when I got hold of him and was able to watch him slowly fly back into the marsh grasses. I took 2 cruddy cell phone photos.

Highlights (out of 46 species):
Swan Creek/Cox Creek Dredge Containment Facility  

Canada Goose: c. 20
Mute Swan: 4
Mallard: 6
BLUE-WINGED TEAL: 2  Mitigated wetland
Double-crested Cormorant: c. 40  mostly flyovers from Ft. Carroll
Great Blue Heron: 5
Great Egret: 1 flyover
Snowy Egret: 2  Mitigated wetland
Little Blue Heron: 6  All adult back and forth between old and new wetlands
Glossy Ibis: 1  Mitigated wetland
American Coot: 1  Old wetland
VIRGINIA RAIL: 2  Mitigated wetland
Ring-billed Gull: c. 30
Herring Gull: c. 80  Mostly overhead and in north dredge cell, several age groups represented
Great Black-backed Gull: c. 40  North dredge cell, mostly adults
Bonaparte's Gull: 12  North dredge cell
Caspian Tern: 1  flyover
Killdeer: 5
Yellowlegs sp.: 2  Mitigated wetland
Turkey Vulture: 6
Osprey: 2 
MARSH WREN: 1  Mitigated wetland, singing occasionally
Tree Swallow: c. 75  Around the two wetlands
N. Rough-winged Swallow: 1
Barn Swallow: 2
Palm Warbler: 1 yellow by old wetland
Swamp Sparrow: 4  Mitigated wetland

Matt Grey
Pasadena